User:ThomasFrost/Wildlife Land Trust

The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust (WLT) is a Washington, D.C.-based habitat conservation group. By the end of 2008 WLT had grown to 1.2 million members and ran on a budget of US$7.2 million.

The Wildlife Land Trust, alone or in collaboration with a variety of partners, has been involved in the protection of millions of acres of wildlife habitat. As an affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States, the WLT joins in campaigns to protect wildlife from cruel and indefensible practices such as poaching, steel-jawed leghold traps, Internet hunting and canned shoots.

WLT sanctuaries serve as “Shelters Without Walls®” for free-roaming animals. Ranging in size from several to more than two thousand acres, each of these sanctuaries provides habitat for countless species. WLT is unique in the national land trust community because it prohibits recreational and commercial hunting and trapping on all of its protected properties.

Rationale

Without adequate habitat, wildlife lacks the shelter, food, and security necessary for their survival. Some species, such as large predators, are prone to persecution when they are forced into close proximity with people. Meanwhile, landscapes fractured by development prevent wide-ranging animals from traveling to new areas in search of mates and other resources. The inability of wildlife to move freely across the landscape becomes all the more alarming in the context of global warming, which will require large shifts in the ranges of certain animals.The only humane solution to habitat loss is land conservation and connectivity.

History

Recognizing that habitat loss and fragmentation are primary threats to wildlife populations, The Humane Society of the United States established the WLT as an affiliate organization with the mission of “protecting wild animals by preserving their natural habitats and providing them true sanctuary within those habitats.”

For the first decade of its existence, WLT concentrated on solely on establishing permanently protected properties, though title donations, conservation easements and, in foreign countries, formal agreements. In 2004 the mission was expanded to include working with other organizations in improving and protecting wildlife habitat while spreading the message of protecting the animals as well as the land.

Since 1993, the WLT has worked with private landowners to create more than 100 permanent wildlife sanctuaries in 37 states and eight foreign countries. On these sanctuaries recreational and commercial hunting and trapping is prohibited.

Governance and expenses

A nonprofit, charitable organization, WLT is funded entirely by membership dues, contributions, foundation grants, and bequests. It receives no federal money.

The HSUS is governed by a 6-member Board of Directors comprised of HSUS executives and board members. Each Director serves as a volunteer and receives no compensation for service. The HSUS’s financial efficiency ratios exceed the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (BBBWGA) standards, which require that program expenses as a percentage of total expenses be 65% or greater. In 2008, WLT’s program expenses were 78%. The HSUS meets all 21 BBBWGA financial and administrative standards.[90]

Headquarters and regional offices

The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust's national headquarters is in Washington, D.C.

External links •	WLT Official Website •	HSUS Official Website